The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Simulation, fabrication and assembly techniques for passive alignment of silicon photonic integrated circuits

Simulation, fabrication and assembly techniques for passive alignment of silicon photonic integrated circuits
Simulation, fabrication and assembly techniques for passive alignment of silicon photonic integrated circuits
This thesis demonstrates a number of simulation, fabrication and assembly techniques that have been designed, developed and tested in order to facilitate the passive alignment of silicon photonic integrated circuits to allow a packaging method that can decrease the cost and time penalties associated with active alignment methods. The requirement for an affordable packaging method is highlighted and key achievements are identified in the literature.Novel and unique surface grating couplers are demonstrated to be compatible with an in-plane passively aligned packaging method which exhibit insertion losses of 1.5 dB in simulation and 2.59dB in physical characterisation with 1- and 3-dB bandwidths of 35nm and 59nm respectively, as well as having improved misalignment tolerance. Additionally, a novel means of deep-silicon etching is developed which allows customised, packaging-specific structures to be fabricated allowing passively aligned assembly within the packaging method described in this thesis by improving vision and access of a fibre, whilst decreasing the free-space propagation distance. This process has been optimised through dynamic etch parameters.Finally, this thesis also outlines a number of key innovations that allow the passive assembly of a hybrid, two-chip packaging method by using silica microspheres and epoxy, to bond and align a silicon chip to an optical fibre.
University of Southampton
Soper, Nathan
91a18ff0-58df-4cfe-b454-4b23d7f109a5
Soper, Nathan
91a18ff0-58df-4cfe-b454-4b23d7f109a5
Reed, Graham
ca08dd60-c072-4d7d-b254-75714d570139

Soper, Nathan (2020) Simulation, fabrication and assembly techniques for passive alignment of silicon photonic integrated circuits. Doctoral Thesis, 262pp.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

This thesis demonstrates a number of simulation, fabrication and assembly techniques that have been designed, developed and tested in order to facilitate the passive alignment of silicon photonic integrated circuits to allow a packaging method that can decrease the cost and time penalties associated with active alignment methods. The requirement for an affordable packaging method is highlighted and key achievements are identified in the literature.Novel and unique surface grating couplers are demonstrated to be compatible with an in-plane passively aligned packaging method which exhibit insertion losses of 1.5 dB in simulation and 2.59dB in physical characterisation with 1- and 3-dB bandwidths of 35nm and 59nm respectively, as well as having improved misalignment tolerance. Additionally, a novel means of deep-silicon etching is developed which allows customised, packaging-specific structures to be fabricated allowing passively aligned assembly within the packaging method described in this thesis by improving vision and access of a fibre, whilst decreasing the free-space propagation distance. This process has been optimised through dynamic etch parameters.Finally, this thesis also outlines a number of key innovations that allow the passive assembly of a hybrid, two-chip packaging method by using silica microspheres and epoxy, to bond and align a silicon chip to an optical fibre.

Text
Thesis for Award
Download (10MB)
Text
Permission to deposit thesis formNS
Restricted to Repository staff only

More information

Submitted date: November 2019
Published date: 23 July 2020

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 447143
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/447143
PURE UUID: c12fb813-5834-41a3-8358-cbeaaf94e098

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 04 Mar 2021 17:34
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 10:19

Export record

Contributors

Author: Nathan Soper
Thesis advisor: Graham Reed

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×